Losses within acceptable limits, service chiefs tell PM

George Iype in New Delhi

Even as the combined operation by the armed forces to flush out
Pakistan-backed mercenaries in the Kargil sector continued for the
third day, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee called a meeting of the Union
Cabinet and the apex Cabinet Committee on Security on Friday to review the
situation on the ground.

Support for the government's offensive also came from the main opposition party,
the Congress. A delegation of Congress leaders led by Dr Manmohan
Singh called on President K R Narayanan and expressed the party's
support for the government's action in evicting insurgents from key sectors
on the Line of Control.

The CCS meeting, chaired by the prime minister, was also briefed by Defence
Minister George Fernandes about the breakthroughs that the
army and air force had achieved in the Kargil sector.

The three service chiefs and top intelligence officers, apart from Home
Minister L K Advani, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and Principal
Secretary to the Prime Minister Brajesh Mishra, also attended the CCS
meeting.

Officials said the CCS will now meet every day to
review the progress in Kargil. On Friday, the army
and air force chiefs specifically briefed the prime minister about the
loss of two fighter planes and one helicopter by the Indian Air Force
and the new strategy and tactics adopted by them in the
continuing operation.

The prime minister was told by the service chiefs that "the loss
was within the acceptable limits" in such operations. They
also assured him that there was no need for "panic or worry" about
the operation.

The meeting, which lasted for more than one hour, took stock of the
latest situation and decided to continue with Operation Vijay till
the intruders are evicted.

Sources said while the military has not set any time-frame to flush out
the mercenaries, the prime minister urged the
service chiefs to complete the air and ground strikes as early as
possible.

Soon after the meeting, Fernandes accused the Pakistani army of aiding
and abetting infiltration.

"The Pakistan army has hatched a conspiracy to push insurgents
into Kashmir," he said, stating that the Nawaz Sharief government does
not have a major role to play in the whole conflict.

On Friday too, the government continued to brief foreign diplomats
stationed in New Delhi that the operation is entirely within
the Indian side of the Line of Control. The Ministry of External
Affairs is engrossed in the task to ensure that Operation Vijay should
not lead to any unexpected diplomatic fallout.